Weekend Top 10

By Sarah Story, Citizen Events Editor 02/02/12

FEBRUARY 3
Enjoy an evening of bluegrass music with the Slack Family Band and the God Fearin’ Snake Handlers at 7 p.m. at The Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen, 2880 Mountain Rd. The concert is part of CACGA’s 2nd Stage Performance Series, which highlights a different musical genre on the first Friday of each month. Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door. For details, call 261-ARTS or visit http://www.artsglenallen.com .
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The movie “Top Hat” (1935) will play at 7 p.m. Feb. 3 and at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Feb. 4 at Henrico Theatre, 305 E. Nine Mile Rd. Tickets are $1 and can be purchased at the door. For details, call 328-4491.
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The Richmond Youth Peace Project will commemorate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with the 7th annual Youth Educoncert, Generation Dream 2012. Shows are scheduled for 7 p.m. on Feb. 3 at Richmond Public Library’s main branch, 101 E. Franklin St., and for 2 p.m. at the Science Museum of Virginia, 2500 W. Broad St. The Friday show is being presented as part of First Fridays Artwalk; the Saturday performance is presented in conjunction with the museum’s exhibit “Race: Are We So Different?” which opened Jan. 28. Both concerts are free; museum admission is required on Feb. 4. For a list of youth performers and for more information, call 232-1002 or visit http://www.rpec.org .
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Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, 1800 Lakeside Ave., will present a special Valentine’s Day display until Feb. 29. A stroll through the climate-controlled Conservatory includes the chance to see daffodils, tulips and more. There is also a display featuring a new color scheme of pink and black foliage. The tropical wing showcases exotic, fragrant orchids. The garden is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $11 for adults, $10 for seniors and $7 for children ages 3-12. Members are free. For details, call 262-9887 or visit http://www.lewisginter.org .
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This is the final weekend for Chamberlayne Actors Theatre’s production of “Almighty Bob.” A touching show about faith, it features Bob, a senior citizen living in an assisted living home. Bizarre things start to happen and the residents must find out if Bob is delusional or telling the truth. Performance times are 8 p.m. Feb. 3-4 and 2:30 p.m. Feb. 4-5. Tickets are $12 to $23. For details, call 262-9760 or visit http://www.cattheatre.com .

FEBRUARY 4
VCU Medical Center will present the CBS 6 Healthy Lifestyle Expo from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Richmond Convention Center. The event will feature Dr. Oz’s fitness expert Stepp Stewart, yoga with “The Young and the Restless” star Judith Chapman and healthy cooking with celebrity chef Nathan Lyon. Participants can also sample healthy foods, receive free health screenings from VCU Medical Center and visit with multiple vendors. Admission is free. For details, visit http://www.wtvr.com/expo .
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Richmond Parents Monthly’s 16th annual Camp & Education Fair will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Tuckahoe YMCA, 9211 Patterson Ave. Admission is free. For a list of fair participants, view http://www.richmondparents.com .
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Ringling Bros. Ambassador of Laughter, Christopher the Clown, will visit the Children’s Museum of Richmond in Short Pump from 9:30 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. In addition to story time, Christopher the Clown will have giveaways and coupons for the upcoming Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey show “Dragons” on Feb. 15-19. For details, call 474-7000 or visit http://www.childrensmuseumofrichmond.org .
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The James River Film Society and the Sierra Club Falls of the James Group will join together to present the RVA Environmental Film Festival at the Byrd Theatre, 2908 W. Cary St. The event will showcase films designed to raise awareness of environmental issues relative to all residents on planet Earth. Festival passes are $15 and are available at Chop Suey Books (422-8066), Video Fan (353-7891) or at http://www.rvaenvironmentalfilmfest2012.eventbrite.com Indi.vidual tickets are $5 and are available at the door or through Eventbrite. For a complete schedule and film descriptions, call 562-2500 or visit http://www.rvaenvironmentalfilmfestival.com.

FEBRUARY 5
Sisters of the Yarn African American Quilters Guild will host an opening reception for its upcoming quilt exhibit “Each Quilt, A Story” from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Eastern Henrico Recreation Center, 1440 N. Laburnum Ave. Enjoy the art and craftsmanship of these beautiful quilts and learn about their history and culture from historical interpreters and the quilters themselves. Music will be provided by a local choir and light refreshments will be served. Admission is free. After the reception, the quilt exhibit will be displayed at Walkerton Tavern, 2892 Mountain Rd., until Feb. 24. For details, call Rachel Moore at 501-5134 or visit http://www.henricorecandparks.com .

The Henricopolis Soil & Water Conservation District will sponsor a tree seedling giveaway on April 2 at Dorey Park Shelter 1 from 2:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. and on April 3 at Hermitage High School parking lot from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Bare-root tree seedlings are available to Henrico County residents free of charge for the spring planting season.

The following seedling species will be available: apple, kousa dogwood, red maple, river birch, red osier dogwood, loblolly pine, sycamore, bald cypress, white dogwood and redbud. Quantities are limited and trees are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Each participant is allowed up to 10 trees total, not to include more than five of the same species. > Read more.

The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) recently launched an online directory of permitted bingo games played in Virginia. Listed by locality, more than 400 regular games are available across the state. The directory will be updated monthly and can be found on VDACS’ website at http://www.vdacs.virginia.gov/gaming/index.shtml.

“Many Virginia charities, including volunteer rescue squads, booster clubs and programs to feed the homeless, use proceeds from charitable gaming as a tool to support their missions, said Michael Menefee, program manager for VDACS’ Office of Charitable and Regulatory Programs. > Read more.

Richmonders Jim Morgan and Dan Stackhouse were married at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden in Lakeside Mar. 7 month after winning the Say I Do! With OutRVA wedding contest in February. The contest was open to LGBT couples in recognition of Virginia’s marriage equality law, which took effect last fall. The wedding included a package valued at $25,000.

Morgan and Stackhouse, who became engaged last fall on the day marriage equality became the law in Virginia, have been together for 16 years. They were selected from among 40 couples who registered for the contest. The winners were announced at the Say I Do! Dessert Soiree at the Renaissance in Richmond in February. > Read more.

Two events this weekend benefit man’s best friend – a rabies clinic, sponsored by the Glendale Ruritan Club, and an American Red Cross Canine First Aid & CPR workshop at Alpha Dog Club. The fifth annual Shelby Rocks “Cancer is a Drag” Womanless Pageant will benefit the American Cancer Society and a spaghetti luncheon on Sunday will benefit the Eastern Henrico Ruritan Club. Twin Hickory Library will also host a used book sale this weekend with proceeds benefiting The Friends of the Twin Hickory Library. For all our top picks this weekend, click here! > Read more.

In a spot that could be easily overlooked is a surprising, and delicious, Japanese restaurant. In a tiny nook in the shops at the corner of Ridgefield Parkway and Pump Road sits a welcoming, warm and comfortable Asian restaurant called Ichiban, which means “the best.”

The restaurant, tucked between a couple others in the Gleneagles Shopping Center, was so quiet and dark that it was difficult to tell if it was open at 6:30 p.m. on a Monday. When I opened the door, I smiled when I looked inside. > Read more.

Cinderella is the latest from Disney’s new moviemaking battle plan: producing live-action adaptations of all their older classics. Which is a plan that’s had questionable results in the past.

Alice in Wonderland bloated with more Tim Burton goth-pop than the inside of a Hot Topic. Maleficent was a step in the right direction, but the movie couldn’t decide if Maleficent should be a hero or a villain (even if she should obviously be a villain) and muddled itself into mediocrity.

Cinderella is much better. Primarily, because it’s just Cinderella. No radical rebooting. No Tim Burton dreck. It’s the 1950 Disney masterpiece, transposed into live action and left almost entirely untouched. > Read more.